Food Basket makes switch to new bags

The Silver City Food Basket didn’t wait for the new- year deadline to change to reusable bags after the Silver City Town Council placed a ban on single- use plastic bags at stores.

The new bags are larger, sturdier, recyclable, reusable and green — literally. They have only been used for about a week, but so far reactions are pretty positive from both shoppers and employees at the Food Basket.

Kyren Sierra and Jesus Corral manned checkout six Sunday afternoon and said that the only differences they’ve seen are the new bags can hold more and they have to explain the change to some people. Steve Tellez, two checkoutsover, said customers tend toreally like them so far.

One of those customers, Van Coleman, said that the switch to the new bags is an improvement a long time coming.

“ We needed to change,’ he said. “These new ones are strong, they can carry whatever you need, and are great for anything at home.’

Food Basket had until Jan. 1, 2015, to stop using single-use plastic bags, but started early out of convenience, according to Tellez. He said they just ran out of the old bags, and since they were planning on switching to a reusablevariety anyway, there was noreason to wait.

The switch stems from a July 8 vote by the Town Council to make the single- use bags illegal.Councilors and many members of the public cited bags being caught in trees, on fences and blowing across the street as the main problems. Since then, the town’s Office of Sustainability has been working with the Girl Scouts and other groups to pass out reusable cloth bags as an alternative.

According to Mayor Mike Morones, Walmart and Albertsons also have plans to make a similar switch. He was very happy about Food Basket’s early change. He also said, though, that while the statute is in place on Jan. 1, the town still hasn’t quite worked out all the ins and outs of how to monitor and enforce the rule.